Redditch

Redditch's population increased by about 5,400 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 84,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Redditch increased by 6.9%, from just over 78,800 to 84,200.

The addition of just over 5,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Redditch was home to, on average, 11 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Redditch

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Redditch increased by two years, from 36 to 38 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than the West Midlands and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 3,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 10 and 19 years decreased by about 700.

About 11.0% of people in Redditch are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Redditch by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Redditch residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.0% to 5.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.6%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70.2% in 2001. The percentage of Redditch residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.9% to 13.0%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. The improvement brought health in Redditch close to the national average 5.5% in England described their health as good in 2011).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Redditch decreased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Redditch, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Redditch

The percentage of Redditch residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.1% to 4.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.9%, while the percentage of Redditch residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.0% to 89.4%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Redditch

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Redditch was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.9 points.

In 2011, 27.5% of respondents in Redditch gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 15.6% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 13.3% to 23.5%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Redditch, 67.7% said they were Christian, compared with 80.9% in 2001. About 0.3% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.2% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 7.3% to 6.3%.

In Redditch, 6.3% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.3% in 2001. In West Midlands, 6.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

the population without a religion in Redditch increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, West Midlands and Redditch by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Redditch at a faster rate than in Bromsgrove (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Redditch).

In Redditch, the proportion of private renting increased from 4.3% in 2001 to 11.7% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Bromsgrove increased from 4.3% to 8.8%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of privately rented homes increased from 7.2% to 14.0%.

The rate of social housing in Redditch fell from 22.6% to 21.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 70.7% to 65.7%.

Private renting in Redditch increased by 7.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Redditch, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households without children increased in Redditch at a faster rate than across England.

In Redditch, the proportion of households without children increased from 56.0% in 2001 to 58.3% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61.1% to 61.2%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of households without children increased from 59.0% to 59.3%.

The proportion of households with children in Redditch fell from 33.2% to 31.4%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 10.8% to 10.4%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Redditch

In 2011, 4.8% of Redditch residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 2.9% in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 7.6% to 10.8%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 92.0% of people in Redditch said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 94.8% in 2001. About 2.0% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.9% to 1.0%.

the population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Redditch increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Redditch by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Redditch, which comprised a single parent, increased from 9.4% to 11.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (36.9%) households had a married couple, compared with 42.4% in 2001. The percentage of households in Redditch, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 10.2% to 11.5%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10.1% in 2001 to 11.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Redditch that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 11.7% to 12.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in two (49.1%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 53.9% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Redditch increased from 27.8% to 32.1%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10.1% in 2001 to 11.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Redditch working less than 16 hours increased from 1.4% to 2.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 12 (8.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Redditch increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Redditch, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Redditch residents that were unemployed increased from 3.6% to 4.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58.2%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 61.1% in 2001. The percentage of Redditch residents that were self-employed increased from 7.0% to 8.1%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.8% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Redditch increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Redditch, the West Midlands and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Redditch residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.1%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 2.3% in 2001 to 2.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Redditch remained close to 2.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Redditch by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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